The Learning City Concept and Its Applicability to Nigerian Urban Development: A Theoretical and Empirical Contribution

This study examines the theoretical applicability and practical feasibility of the UNESCO Learning City concept to Nigerian urban development, contributing an original Nigerian learning city framework and empirical assessment from three major Nigerian cities. The learning city concept, which envisions cities as environments that systematically promote learning across all life stages, sectors, and social groups, has gained international traction through UNESCO's Global Network of Learning Cities. Nigeria's rapid urbanisation and the challenges it creates for education, employment, health, and civic participation make the learning city concept potentially relevant as an urban development framework, yet no Nigerian city has formally adopted this approach. This study uses a comparative case study design examining Lagos, Kano, and Enugu as candidate learning city contexts. Empirical data are generated through document analysis of city development plans, surveys of 600 urban residents on learning opportunity access, interviews with 60 city government officials, education providers, employers, and civil society leaders, and infrastructure audits of learning opportunity environments. A Nigerian Urban Lifelong Learning Readiness Assessment Framework is developed and applied. Findings reveal that Lagos has the most developed learning city infrastructure but the most unequal distribution of learning opportunities across income groups. Kano demonstrates strong informal and religious learning institution density that constitutes an underrecognised learning city asset. Enugu shows the strongest public library and continuing education infrastructure relative to city size. The study contributes an original Nigerian Learning City Development Framework and recommends a federal government-UNESCO partnership to pilot the first Nigerian learning city designation in Ibadan or Abuja.

Keywords: learning city, urban lifelong learning, UNESCO, Nigeria, urban development.